Cinders of My Heart
by Aquamarine1212
Summary: Bramblestar was a great leader, helping Thunderclan rise from the ashes of a great war. But he wasn't strong enough. When the tom with ice-blue eyes came, he stole our clan and our leader. But worst of all, he stole the thing in the world most precious to me, my mate, who could supposedly never lose a battle. I suppose that it couldn't go on forever. (One-Shot)


**So originally this was going to be a full-out story, but I kinda just lost it and I've got way too many other projects going on, so I decided to make it a one-shot. Pretty much it's just a sad one-shot about what might have happened to Thunderclan after "The Last Hope". So if anyone asks for more of this, sorry, this is all you get. :( But, I've talked for long enough! Enjoy a sad little story.**

**I do not own warriors.**

"Bramblestar is dead!"

A mournful yowl emanated from the hollow's entrance. A tabby gray she-cat with dark blue eyes snapped her head up in shock and scrambled to her paws. _Bramblestar…dead? It can't be!_ The clan was slipping out of their dens and huddling around a slumped figure that had been dragged into camp by a large white tom with ice-blue eyes.

"But he still had five lives left!" a brown tabby she-cat meowed in panic. Her leaf green eyes flashed with fear as she glanced over at the white tom.

"These marks were made by a cat's claws," a silver and white tabby she-cat said gravelly as she ran her paw down the scars on Bramblestar's hide.

"Who did it?" A golden tom meowed apprehensively, sliding out his claws, "If I get my claws on them, they're going to regret it!"

"Hush Lionblaze," the gray tabby she-cat meowed, sliding up next to him, "I'm sure Bramblestar died with nobility. Revenge will not make him come back." The golden furred tom flashed her a brief look of anger before his eyes melted into shame.

"You're right Cinderheart," he meowed quietly.

"Who killed him Ice?" an orange she-cat walked up to the white tom, her eyes filled with grief. Cinderheart immediately felt a pang of sympathy. Poor Squirreflight; Bramblestar had been her mate as well as her leader, not to mention she was carrying his kits. It must be especially hard for her.

"Well…" the white tom named Ice paused for a moment as a black she-cat and a ginger tom padded up to his side, their eyes filled with malice.

"First of all, Shadow, Fox and I have been thinking lately…." Ice meowed slowly, watching with pleasure as the clan soaked in his every word, "And we decided we'd like to join your clan." There were a few meows of pleasure and a few angry mutters, but for the most part it remained silent.

"As for who killed Bramblestar…" Ice paused dramatically, keeping everyone intent on his every word. Then he suddenly broke out into a nasty grin, "I did."

The whole clearing burst into screeches and angry hisses. Cinderheart tried to keep her eyes on Ice, but the shuffling, yowling cats blocked her view. She felt her stomach drop. What was Ice playing at here?

"You murderer!" Lionblaze suddenly leapt out of the crowd and lunged for Ice's neck, but the black she-cat and ginger tom sprang up and collided with him mid-air, tackling him away from Ice. Lionblaze snarled indignantly, but Shadow and Fox held him at bay, baring their teeth threateningly.

"Silence!" Ice yowled, and quickly the entire clearing fell into a nervous silence. Ice grinned, showing off two rows of bloodstained teeth.

"I will lead Thunderclan into greatness," Ice bellowed, his chest swelling with pride, "Under my rule, we shall conquer all the other clans."

"Who says we're letting you take over?" a voice yowled in anger. There were some angry mutters of agreement as cats all around the clearing cast Icestar glances filled with venom. Cinderheart's tail thrashed angrily as she stared at him, her eyes burning with hatred.

"You aren't," Ice meowed in a smooth voice, "I'm taking you by force."

"You and what army?" Cinderheart yowled, snorting with amusement.

"This army," Ice meowed with a smirk. All of a sudden several Thunderclan cats parted from the crowd and stood next to Ice, their faces grim and hard. Cindeheart gaped in shock as she watched them silently line up next to him. Dovewing and Blossomfall were the first to stand by his side. They exchanged nods and stood to face the clan. Cinderheart counted off as the cats slowly leaked out of the Thunderclan crowd.

_Molefur…Thornclaw…Whitewing…Birchfall…Hazeltail…Toadstep…Rosepetal…_

"Traitors!" Lionblaze yowled, his eyes blazing with fury, "You mouse-hearted cowards!" By now the crowd behind Ice was much larger than the ones that remained. Ice's face was filled with a twisted smirk. Cinderheart stood next to him nervously, as if waiting to stop him from attacking Ice.

"You're strong Lionblaze. But not strong enough to defy me," Ice sneered. Lionblaze was fuming as he ripped at the ground, but he didn't make a move against Ice. He wasn't the brightest, but it didn't take a genius to figure out his odds of winning were miniscule or even nonexistent.

Ice leapt up onto the highrock, his blue eyes filled with pleasure. "I am your leader from this day forward. You will listen to me and only me," he meowed, his voice authoritative and demanding respect, "A new era is coming, one where Thunderclan will rule the forest. However, as our clan grows stronger, it becomes important that we dispose of any….liabilities."

Cinderheart felt sick to her stomach as she stared up at the white tom. She leaned against Lionblaze, breathing in his scent and trying to stay calm.

"Briarlight! Millie! Daisy! Ferncloud! Purdy! Leafpool!" Ice boomed, his voice angry, "Come forwards. And Jayfea-" Suddenly Ice paused, "No, you may yet be of use."

Trembling, the six cats stepped forwards as the crowd backed up. Cinderheart exchanged nervous glances with several cats. What was going on?

Ice leapt down onto the ground and stood directly in front of Leafpool. She was trembling madly as she tried to keep her gaze fixed with Ice's.

"Shadow. Fox. Dovewing. Blossomfall. And…Spiderleg," Ice meowed. Quickly the five cats rushed over to him, their eyes bright and eager, as if they had been waiting for a chance to please him.

"Each of you stand in front of a cat," Ice said, his voice cool. Shadow stood in front of Briarlight, Fox in front of Daisy, Dovewing in front of Purdy, Blossomfall in front of Ferncloud and Spiderleg in front of Millie. Cinderheart was watching with great concern now. What was Ice planning on doing…?

"Each of you have tried your best to serve your clan," Ice meowed loudly, "But you have failed them, either because of your weakness or injury."

Cinderheart didn't like where this was going.

"You must be killed, for the sake of the clan," Ice meowed. He turned to face the row of his followers and gave them a nod. Suddenly there was flashing claws as the Thunderclanners turned on each other. Cinderheart's eyes were wide with horror as she watched.

Shadow dispatched Briarlight with a swift bite to the neck and stood back, his chin held high. Fox leapt at Daisy, her lips curled in a snarl. Daisy screamed and tried to scamper away, but was much too slow and Fox quickly caught up to her. She pressed a paw onto Daisy's throat and slowly unsheathed her claws, watching Daisy gasp underneath her almost as if she were enjoying it. Dovewing's eyes flashed with regret before she swiped out at Purdy's neck. His white and black fur quickly turned red with blood as he dropped. Blossomfall was trembling as she bit down into Ferncloud's throat. Ferncloud was wailing, her eyes becoming glazed as blood poured out of the wound. Spiderleg wasted no time in killing Millie. He had brutally ripped out her throat and now stood back, his eyes filled with pleasure.

Cinderheart turned her gaze to Ice. He was towering over Leafpool, curling back his lips in a snarl as she trembled beneath him.

"No, please, don't kill me!" Leafpool wailed, "I'll do anything, anything! I'll be your servant, I'll…I'll..I'll hunt for myself and never take from the fresh kill pile, just please spare me!" I felt sick as I watched her beg for her life. What had Ice turned our clan into?

Ice's eyes flickered in thought as he stood, prepared to deal a killing blow. After a moment, he stood back, his eyes filled with a trace of frustration.

"You have three moons to prove yourself," he hissed.

"Thank you! Oh thank you!" Leafpool meowed, tears sliding down her furry cheeks. She scampered into the crowd and immediately buried her face into Squirrelflight's fur. She was still shaking with fear and Squirrelflight licked her ears soothingly.

"Their burial will be at sundown," Ice meowed gravely, "Surely this will teach you all an important lesson; if you do not have a use in the clan, than you will be punished."

"You sick monster!" Lionblaze hissed, stepping forwards. His paws were trembling with anger as adrenaline pumped through his veins, "I would rather die than follow you."

"Are you sure about that Lionblaze?" Ice meowed coldly.

"You'll have to kill me before I'll follow your orders," Lionblaze snarled.

"If that's what you'd prefer," Ice hissed, "Thunderclan, dispatch him." Suddenly cats from all around the clearing let out screeches and flung themselves at Lionblaze. Cinderheart watched on in horror.

" No, he's my mate, no!" she screeched trying to push away the swarm. Tears were forming in her eyes and she clawed blindly at whoever got in her way as she tried to push her way towards Lionblaze. The world was swirling and nothing was making sense anymore. She clawed harder, more furiously, until suddenly the swarm of cats scattered. Lionblaze's golden fur that she once thought to be untouchable was stained with blood. His eyes were clouded and his paws were twisted at strange angles as he lay on the ground.

"No!" Cinderheart wailed, burying her face into his fur, not caring that his blood was staining her fur. Her cries were muffled as she wailed into his fur. The clan remained as a safe distance. Some watched her with pity and others with contempt, but she didn't care anymore. All that mattered was that Lionblaze was dead. The tom with the power of the stars in his paws was gone in an instant, as if he were nothing more than a piece of prey being hunted.

"If there isn't anyone else who wishes to die…" Ice trailed off, looking around at the cats. They remained silent and transfixed on him and he smirked, his eyes flashing with malice.

"From this day on, you shall know me as Icestar, leader of Thunderclan," he meowed, standing in the clearing with pride. Suddenly chants began to ring out across the hollow.

"Icestar! Icestar!"

Their chants made Cinderheart feel sick and she buried her face deeper into Lionblaze's fur as the cats scuttled around his body to reach Icestar. Cinderheart was shaking with sobs as she looked up to see the clan gathering around their new leader.

Nothing would ever be the same.


End file.
